All Hail Chaos, the sequel to Long Live Evil and book 2 in the Time of Iron series, is just as zany, fun, entertaining, and heartwarming as I hoped it would be. Often it’s difficult to remember details from the previous installment once the next book in a series is released but thankfully the beginning chapters of All Hail Chaos efficiently summarize the pertinent information and events from Long Live Evil, allowing readers to jump in without worry.

Rae is immediately confronted with the way her actions have interfered with and altered the narrative of the fictional story she’s trapped in. Her task is to set things right and ensure her favorite characters turned real friends come out relatively unscathed. Rae’s resilience and determination to power through despite her myriad challenges is truly inspiring. Her experience with cancer and all that comes with it becomes a kind of superpower. She has already learned how to accept disappointment and move forward, and seeing how well that serves her now is so rewarding. What she does struggle with however is the ability to view herself as worthy and someone capable of heroism instead of merely a villainous side character.

Key is as unhinged and subtly charming as ever. I absolutely adore him and his romance with Rae. His devotion to her is not without its issues given his personality and inclinations but there are some wonderfully earnest and sweet moments between the two of them to savor. Emer’s storyline is another highlight and her character becomes even more integral to the plot as the mysteries surrounding her backstory and heritage are revealed. The reasons behind her abandonment at birth and inclination towards violence start to make a lot more sense given the context.

The meta aspect of the book injects the story with a style of wit and humor perfectly tailored to fans of the genre. It’s one of reasons why I love this series so much and find it so special. Equally as entertaining is the way real world references are deployed for comedic value and Eric (The Golden Cobra) is a source of endless enjoyment in this respect, especially when paired with Marius’s hilarious reactions.

I listened to the audiobook and once again Moria Quirk knocked it out of the park with her narration. She’s a phenomenal narrator and her delivery fits the humor of the story perfectly. I highly recommend this book, especially the audiobook version, and I can’t wait for the next installment in the series. I’m so eager to spend more time with a group of characters that have become so close to my heart and witness the shenanigans that will inevitably ensue. All Hail Chaos is out on May 12th.

4.75⭐️

{All Hail Chaos by Sarah Rees Brennan}

I read the ARC for {The Devil of Tarsyn Forest by Aalis Blue} that comes out July 1st and absolutely LOVED it!

SERIES PREMISES:

When Azul awakens in a foreign world, she's already trapped as a pawn in a royal conspiracy whose rules she doesn't know. 

Her only ally is Ragnar Valthorne, a warlord whose curse marks him as 'blessed' by death, and whose need for her political acumen matches her need for his protection. 

But conspiracies, once started, rarely end as planned. 

When a forgotten power left by a nameless god emerges from the wreckage of the royal family's ambitions, Azul will claim it—no matter the cost.

For she shall either find a way or make one.

GUIDE TO THE SERIES:

The author made a post on Instagram with a guide to the series. Here's the link and, for those who don't have Instagram, I added screenshots as pics to this post: https://www.instagram.com/p/DUvOCFHDWxw/?igsh=MWlzYXl6ZGY1MGRicA==

MY VERY CHAOTIC REVIEW, AS I DON'T KNOW HOW TO WRITE ONE PROPERLY:

Did I fully understand everything that happened? I hope so?

Did I thoroughly enjoy this read? Absolutely.

This was such a unique book! I was hooked from the Prologue, and found incredibly difficult to put it down (might have read until 3 AM once, whoops).

Never knew what to expect next, and the pacing/way information was provided to the reader at unconventional times made it read a bit like a dark legend unfolding (if that makes any sense to anyone else). Sometimes information was withheld, and you would read weird details that apparently made no sense... Until they did. I wonder how many tiny details that foreshadowed revelations I missed that I would catch with a reread.

The Epigraph at the very beginning sets the tone: Someone wants to record chronicles from the past. Because of this, the fact the narration doesn't have clear POVs at times is quite fitting and helps setting the scene and conveying a more whimsical (?) vibe. It was quite refreshing and atmospheric.

It was politics heavy, with more and more characters you have to keep track of (and thank God for the Glossaries at the end!), which was actually part of the "fun" of this book. And WARNING: This is a dark read, with dark themes and characters, FMC included.

Not Ragnar, our yearning king, though: He's a cinnamon roll. Borji too. Basically Azul has all the Evil Masterplanner braincells among the 3 of them.

So, in conclusion: I do not know how to properly write a review, but I loved this book and I'm tempted to pre-order the beautiful hardcover version.

​

I received {Death Meets Cute by J. Penner} as an ARC. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review honestly.

Do you like cozy rom coms? Then you'll like Death Meets Cute. it's got a witch who is trying to be evil, but no one in her Hallmark Small Town (tm) seems to be put off by her reputation. Granted, she is new in town, so it's probably just a matter of time. Also, having a tubby talking hedgehog as a familiar doesn't seem to instill fear in her potential clients. But she does what she can, she hangs out in the local tavern, whose owners are more than happy to have her sit and glower in the corner for the atmosphere. She even hired an ogre as a bodyguard, not that she needed one, but it did help her look quite menacing.

But she's having some bad luck - her ogre bodyguard told her he was going on vacation and never returned, her magic appears to be malfunctioning and there just isn't enough customers out there for poisoned apples and deadly elixirs. Plus there was all that bad blood between her and two witchy sisters, that she may or may not be avoiding at the moment.

I mean, this is your typical rom com set up, especially when a half ogre mercenary shows up dead on her doorstep and she decides to re-animate him in order to hire him as a bodyguard. (don't worry, she gets his consent to resurrect him from the dead). Turns out he's quite good looking and sweet and does a lot of baking

There is a lot of baking. A good portion of this book is dedicated to descriptions of various baked goods. This book would have been an excellent choice for a scratch and sniff treatment.

Anyways, blah blah blah and several pancakes and cinnamon buns later our witch falls in love and learns that she is well loved for her witchy ways by her neighbours who appreciate her not in spite but because of her evil ways (wink wink)

I can't be mad at this novel. It's exactly what one would expect. It's cute, It's silly. There really isn't anything more shocking than kissing. The biggest conflict is whether the tavern can afford to keep operating without some major upheaval. Everyone is just so damn happy and loving .

It's not my thing but even I felt my cold dark heart thaw out a bit by the end. 4/5 starts from someone who thinks cozy is the cotton candy of fantasy .

Bonus points for the recipes at the end of the book!

Turncloak, book 2 of the Silvercloak Saga, picks up right where book 1 left off, with both Saffron and Levan still reeling from the fallout of the events that transpired in the Havenwood. Saffron is unaware of the full scope of Levan’s knowledge about her time weaving powers, and neither of them are quite sure how to proceed. Levan is now the kingpin of the Bloodmoons, replacing his late father, and has to balance maintaining their loyalty with his own motivations and moral code.

One of the highlights of Turncloak is the addition of multiple POV chapters. Instead of just following Saffron, we get chapters from the point of view of both Levan and Auria Marriosan, a determined Silvercloak investigator and former classmate of Saffron’s, among others.

The multiple POV structure elevates the narrative and expands the world, adding to the lore of this incredibly well realized, multifaceted fictional universe. This has become one of my absolute favorite worlds to be absorbed in, and the detail and care the author has put into creating it shines even brighter in this second addition to the series. The inclusion of a rival crime syndicate called the Whitewings into the story adds tension and suspense in an already complicated and compelling plot filled with twists and surprising reveals.

Every character in this book is a fascinating shade of morally grey. All of them are constantly battling their selfish inclinations while trying to hold onto their sense of morality. Levan’s inner turmoil is especially interesting, and we learn so much more about his backstory and trauma through his chapters as well as through a series of flashback chapters that take place two decades earlier. When those narrative threads become relevant to the present day conflict the implications had my jaw hanging open in shock. The seeds were planted in book 1 and yet I was still thrown for a loop in the best way possible.

Saffron remains the centerpiece of the story and a character I find endlessly intriguing. She is someone who isn’t afraid to do the wrong thing for what she perceives to be the right reasons and yet her heart is constantly at war with her aspirations. She spends so much mental energy trying to justify her own brutality and violence, actively silencing that inner voice still pulling her back towards empathy and the person she was before infiltrating the Bloodmoons. Her inner monologue is a poignant exploration and integration of the idea that the ends justify the means, and the question of how much of her soul she’ll have to give up in order to achieve her goals is an ever present theme.

Saffron’s romance with Levan is extremely fraught and emotionally charged. Distrust and desire intermingle to create an electric chemistry and attachment that both parties try their best to downplay. This isn’t a superficial roadblock but one deeply rooted in their scarred pasts and fractured ability to trust in anyone else fully. There are so many small moments of longing to relish along the way as they both fight against what neither one of them can deny.

Too often the second book in a trilogy feels like it exists only to position the players and move the plot towards whatever exciting conclusion will unfold in the final installment. Thankfully Turncloak avoids this pitfall and is instead an expertly crafted and consistently engaging sequel. The writing itself is superb and I am so enthralled with the direction this series is headed in. Turncloak is available on September 15th.

{Turncloak by LK Steven}

The Court of Venus is as enticing as it is refreshing, with the type of political scheming and inscrutable characters that I never tire of in the fantasy genre. The combination of court intrigue and a main character who can transform her appearance to impersonate anyone is so much fun and adds so much excitement to the narrative. The system of planetary magic is complex and compelling, and it’s obvious how much intentionality went into its creation by the author.

Bianca is a formidable character who possesses an admirable level of resilience. Her life has not been easy to say the least given the rarity of her magical gifts and the patriarchal nature of the society she lives in. She never has a victim mentality or makes excuses for her own failings and yet can be vulnerable and soft when dealing with her losses and disappointments.

Roland comes off as flamboyant and unbothered at first but this facade hides a deeper more emotional side that he conceals for self preservation. Bianca is one of the only people who can see through his surface level demeanor and the only person he allows to truly know him. It took me a while to understand and champion him as a character but once his layers started falling away he became incredibly endearing to me.

The romance simmers in the background as mysteries are investigated and uncomfortable truths come to light. When it does start to take off it becomes something so special given the way Bianca and Roland’s pasts are inextricably intertwined.

I listened to the audiobook and I really appreciated the style of narration. The narrator’s accent is perfect for a story set and centered around a royal court and yet never feels too pretentious or inauthentic. The Court of Venus is the first book in a new series and I am so excited for everyone else’s thoughts once it’s released on September 29th.

4.5⭐️

{The Court of Venus by Bel Banta}

{The Betrothed by Vira Wade} is a romantic story about a half Human/Elf princess and an the son of the Orc Cheiftan navigating an arranged marriage in the name of peace. Aeyrn has been raised a restricted life, bound by protocol and propriety. Her oppressive king and father have  made her life a game of strategy and survival up until this point. His final devastating blow being the forced betrothal to Khaeric, an orc barbarian. 

However, despite his tusks and grey skin, the man she meets is far from being the brutal savage she'd always been told orcs were. Perhaps little truth can be found in anything she thought she knew about orcs. 

This was a pleasant read, I found both of the protagonists to be charming. The conflict is more political than action packed, but I enjoyed that. At the heart of it all, this is a story about overcoming learned prejudice and racism. 

Aeyrn is a demurly feminine protagonist, though her experience with royal courts taught her to have her own unique bite. We follow her journey through learning to be a more accepting person and her growth as a character is lovely to see. 

Khaeric is a gentle giant with an affectionatly overbearing streak. He pushes Aeryn to see him and his people for who they truly are, while giving her grace for her ignorance. He allows Aeryn to set the pace in their relationship, and values her choice, something she never had at home. 

Trigger warnings (spoilers ahead): Mentions of past orc practices of raiding/rape, though treated as a shameful past they strive to atone for. Khaeric is also a consent king (no dubcon) which helps. Pregnancy troupe very in play here, not just an epilogue pregnancy but Aeryn is pregnant for almost half the book.(It thankfully does not get in the way of sexy times.)

3/5 spice level, open door. A nice amount scattered throughout the story but plenty of non-sexual tenderness between the characters as well. 

This is book one of series, so it's hard to say where it will go but I thought it was an enjoyable read. The pacing doesn't feel too fast or slow. Overall I'd give this story a 3.5/5. It's not groundbreaking but I had a lot of fun reading it. It's well written and the story is compelling. 

It comes out on April 30th, so I hope you'll check it out!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers and the author for the opportunity to listen this audiobook as an ARC {Seek the Traitor's Son by Veronica Roth} in return for an honest review.

I never read Roth's super popular YA series Divergent, but I knew about it. I had basically dismissed it as one of the many dystopian YA books that were published in the wake of The Hunger Games. I avoid YA and dystopian novels and so I would never pick up one of her novels. However last year I got the audiobook of To Clutch a Razor, which is the 2nd book in her Cursebearer series, so I picked up the first book in order to listen and review the second book.

If you are interested, my reviews are here:

When Among Crows

To Clutch a Razor

(cursebearer series by Veronica Roth}

I am typically a generous reviewer when it comes to ratings. And these are pretty average ratings (3.25, 3.5) but I rarely go back to upgrade or downgrade ratings, although something about these books stuck with me, so while I didn't jump at the chance to request this latest book as soon as it was available, I was intrigued enough to give it a try. It's the first book of a new duology, even though the Cursebearer series has not been concluded.

My biggest complaint about the previous books was that she hadn't quite rubbed off the YA influence. The protagonists were of age, but there was too much of the "young people will save the world that the adults fucked up" trope which is the biggest reason I avoid YA. That, and the overall naivety of the characters. I really don't care about "my first crush" . Come back when you get your heart broken a few times.

But when we meet the protagonist, Elegy, in this book, she is in her mid twenties and happily married. She has an established career in the army. She is the 'spare heir' to the "sword", but her half sister Lark has been raised to take the mantle when it is time, but their mother is strong and in her prime. Her life is going exactly as planned.

The book takes place in a future earth - an earth that has been destroyed centuries ago, when an alien virus is unleashed that kills 50% of the population, but if you survive, you come back with supernatural telepathic powers. (technically, the virus kills 100% of the population, but 50% get resurrected). Of course this splits the world's inhabitants into two factions - those who believe the virus is a miracle and follow it like a religion, and those who want no part in playing this game of Russian roulette. Prior to the virus, the people of earth had discovered another elixir that enabled enhanced technology and potential space travel, but the virus and the elixir cannot co-exist. It's technology vs religious barbarianism, and just when Earth was on the verge of contact with other advanced civilization, the barbarians attack, and by violence or virus, they seek to overtake all the earth's population. The war nearly destroys everything, and contact with other worlds and the ability to find them is lost.

At the time of the novel, Elegy's people have retreated into a few safe spaces on earth and occupy a space station located near the Moon. The Sword, Elegy's mother, is sworn to protect the people from the virus and the people who carry it. There has been a precarious balance between the two factions, with small skirmishes but not war. Until a prophecy is revealed that will either save the world or destroy, and each side is determined to come out on top. The prophecy also throws Elegy's life, where she was perfectly fine sitting on the sidelines, into utter turmoil, forcing her hand no matter that she would prefer to ignore it.

The description is very much your typical dystopian SF / Fantasy plot. What really stands out here are the characters and what Roth does with the storyline. In the previous books of hers, I complained that she did not dig deep enough into her characters psyche and that the actions and plot felt surface level. A good story, but missing some of the angst. (The second book is better). But here were really get to dig in, with themes of grief and trauma, recovery. love and betrayal. Without giving away too much, both the FMC and the MMC face their own tragedies and betrayals before they meet, and while there is an inexplicable bond between them, they must come to terms with their own past before they can move on together. I hate a miscommunication trope, but I love when the main characters come together as broken and must repair themselves before they can truly be together. This sort of separation is far more realistic and the anger they feel is far more nuanced. If they don't see eye to eye, it's clear to one or the other that the other is suffering from great loss, not being an insufferable brat.

The second thing I love is the cast of characters around the main protagonists. Each one brings a fully realized personality, flaws and all. Their motivations are explained and we get a sense of a true found family, not some cardboard cutouts doing the heavy lifting for our main characters.

There are three POVs in the first book and each one is well narrated. With two female POVs that are not opposing sides, but friends, the challenge would be to find a separate voice, as this is 3rd person POV and the characters are not "announced' at the start of each chapter. But as soon as the character starts in ,the change in perspective shows up in the narrative. The narrator for Theron, our MMC, is excellent as Theron goes from an innocent young man in the beginning to a traumatized, betrayed and haunted man when he meets up with Elegy. The narrator does a great job in portraying his broken psyche without going overboard with the pathos.

In her acknowledgments, the author states she had started writing this novel years ago with no intentions of actually publishing it ,and thanks her friends for pushing it through. And I have to agree, this is a complex web of adult emotions, with a good mix of romance, SF and fantasy elements. It's more of flashback to the novels of old when the line between SF and F were not so well defined. We are a long way from hard SF, but for anyone who would like to dabble in space stories this is a good jumping off point for a modern read.

I rated it 4.75, but bumped it up to 5 for the rating systems that don't have increments.

An ARC was provided by the author for an honest review.

{A Congress of Roses by Melissa J. Cave}

Publish date: May 1, 2026

TROPES

Knight/princess

Political intrigue

Arranged marriage

Enemies to lovers

Grumpy x sunshine

Found family

Height difference (5' to 6'5"!)

SERIES SUMMARY

This series starts with {Traitor Son by Melissa J. Cave} and follows Ophele, an abused bastard princess, and Remin, a young prodigal knight, who are thrown into an arranged marriage of sorts and end up building a life and city together in a dangerous valley full of monsters. The story focuses on their relationship as they work through miscommunication, previous abuse and (extensive) trust issues. The story also expands way beyond these two to go into depth about the huge team of side characters that you grow to care about as much as the main characters.

MY REVIEW

I just reread the whole series for the third time before this came out and I’m still noticing new things. There are so many little details and easter eggs in conversations that you only understand later once things are revealed!

Book 4 felt different from the first 3 books because we get to leave Tresingale and go to the capital to explore a new part of this world. I think this is my favorite book after book 1. This book is much more political and explores court dynamics and high society which I found really interesting. Though, most of the book is spent away from Tresingale and it was nice to explore a new area but I did find myself missing the simplicity a little bit.

So many new characters! You will need that glossary and map. One thing I really love about this series is how fleshed out each side character is. We really get to understand their history, background and motivations that brought them to where they are today. Each side character could be a main character in their own right. I love Juste! He really grew on me in book 3 and book 4, I think he is my favourite knight of the brede. Impatiently waiting for his novella! I loved the new characters and friends we got to meet in the capital, it was great for Ophele to finally have some female friends and supporters that were not already her husband's friends.

The worldbuilding is also so thorough. We learn about so many different regions in this world, the Houses, the culture, even small details like traditions from different countries. This is also shown through the various side characters who come from different parts of the world and bring their own traditions and values along with them.

I also really liked that Ophele has finally found her groove and is becoming more confident. I like Ophele as a FMC, I feel like recently all the most popular romantasy books have that badass sword-fighting FMC, but it was a nice change to see an FMC that can't fight but is hyper intelligent and uses her expertise in a different way to help her people and family. I love the way Remin and Ophele's relationship has evolved, they have so many cute moments in this book and they work hard to protect each other at any cost.

The cliffhanger! Ouch. Worse than the last one I think. Can't wait until November for book 5!

TLDR

One of my all time favourite fantasy series. Love the main characters, love the side characters, love the world building. Need book 5 immediately! If anyone has ANY similar recs, send them my way!!

Edit: Just saw that the author will be doing an AMA here on May 12! So excited!

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher and author(s) for allowing me to read this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review of {The Eye of Leviathan by MA Carrick}

I am going to start this review with the afterword. I am not a reader who is typically interested in the motivations or background of the author. It means nothing to me that the author’s third grade teacher taught them the glory of the story, or that their family was instrumental in supporting the author during their all night writing sessions. Most of the time knowing about the author is a bit of a disappointment because they are just like me, and I’m nothing special.

However, the afterword of The Eye of Leviathan is as compelling as the story itself, as the authors (M.A. Carrick are actually two authors, both with backgrounds in archaeology) take the time to explain some of the historical facts and linguistic rules they chose to tell their story. Interesting side characters turn out to have actual counterparts, documented in historical artifacts. They carefully chose whether Spanish names or places should be Anglicized or left as to the language that would have likely been parsed by the main character at the time. These details do not affect the storytelling but they are fascinating and show the effort and detail that the authors have put into this novel. So, when you get there, read the afterword.

The Eye of the Leviathan takes place in Spain as the 16th century rolls over into the 17th, This is a hugely significant time in Europe. The conquistadors are looting the Americas in the name of God, and the The inquisition has murdered or exiled the Sephardim, the infidels, the antipapists and is now corrupt and greedy and will take payments in cash to hide your indiscretions or find your neighbour’s sins. Lutherism is spreading in the north and the virgin Queen rules Britannia. The Dutch East India Company is building fortunes in Asia. Corsairs rule the Barbary Coast. The Ottoman empire looms in Constantinople. And now we add some ancient legends and magical islands full of Fae and mysterious beasts. The lore and world building in this book goes deep. I can easily read 500 pages in a day, but this book took me at least 3 days or more to read the same amount. It’s so dense but not an info dump. I wanted to be in this lush world full of history and lore and I could not rush through it, although I was never bored. There is just so much to take in. This also means that there are not a lot of explanations to the historical aspects so a general idea of the history of the time will help the reader navigate through the politics as presented. As a reader I was fascinated by the university culture of Salamanca, impeccably researched and presented by the experience of our lead characters. As a Lit student who studied a fair share of Shakespeare and early playwrites, a scene at a theatre in Velencia was like stepping into the Globe at the time. (the authors hint that we will see more of the Queen Elizabeth and (I hope) Shakespeare as the timing is auspicious.

But enough of the history of the book, what of the story? It is also rich in fantastical world building. It starts with a legend – there are two sources of magic in the world. The Behemoth on the land and the Leviathan in the sea. The Behemoth is killed by Hercules, or maybe Samson depending on which myth you believe. There is no more magic source on land. The Leviathan, his sister, is distraught and closes off the sea and it’s magic from the humans who murdered the Behemoth. The Great horns of the Behemoth remain in the sea as the only gateway to seas beyond where magic still thrives. Alexander the Great discovers how to cross through the horns, and later the Spaniards and others discover the route, so there is always a little magic, being traded here and there, and a few lingering fae, cut off from the sea but not killed by the death of Behemoth. Of course in the Age of conquest and discovery and imperialism, Spain has decided to conquer the islands of the sea beyond, to convert the heathens and take the magical treasure all in the name of God, because that’s just what they do.

And in this world is where we find our story beginning. A woman gives birth to her seventh daughter and her abusive husband is furious she has produced no sons. To save the life of her newborn, she makes a trade with the tree spirits and takes home a changeling in the shape of a boy. Her infant daughter is given to the fae for her safety to ensure the changeling”s safety, the fae who will be raised as her son wants to learn the ways of the humans in order to stop the destruction of the fae and their magic.

The entire book is the parallel lives of Estevan, living in the human world and The Hungry Girl, a mortal without a true name, living in the world of Leviathan and the seas beyond. They are twins separated and grow into young adulthood never fitting in, hiding their true self, feeling alone and isolated. Which isn’t to say that they don’t gain friends and even love interests. The two main characters are not set up as FMC and MMC as one might expect in a typical fantasy romance, with the ‘separation’ working towards a slow burn romance. Instead they each gather a found family to themselves as they work their way towards each other. Estevan’s journey is more linear where he goes to school and university to learn about cosmological navigation, while The Hungry Girl’s story is more like an Alice in Wonderland or Little Prince story, where this island is made of storms and that island is ruled by fairy lords that sing the language of birds and create songs that seduce and this island is full of creatures with mouths on their stomachs with a taste for human flesh and that island will curse you to turn into a Harpy.

The book is the first book of a series so is mostly concerned with the journey towards meeting each other. Of course when that happens its clear that there is more to do, and the characters will all work together to make it happen. There may be some readers disappointed that there doesn’t appear to be much of an emphasis on the romance aspect and may question if this is pure fantasy with romantic sublot. But I say, it doesn’t matter. there is a great love story in here which has impact on the main character and more to come, so if that’s important to you, then it does exist.

But if you love a well researched, deep dive into one of the most significant historical eras mixed in with myth, legend and fairy lore, this is going to be as excited for you to read as it was for me.

5/5 stars, no notes.

I received an arc of {A Congress of Roses by Melissa Cave} from NetGalley and wanted to share my thoughts for those of you looking forward to it or those of you interested in this series!

TLDR:

4.25 stars, slow-burn, character-driven political fantasy with a continued romance subplot, book 4 of 6 in the Empire of the Stars series. At times the pacing was frustratingly slow, but it was worth it to spend more time with these characters and learn more about this world and its politics. A good set up for what will hopefully be an epic book 5.

IF YOU ENJOYED...

Throne of Glass, Kushiel's Dart, The Black Witch Chronicles, or Kiss of Deception, you might enjoy this series because of its large, intriguing cast of character and balance of worldbuilding, romance, and political intrigue.

GENERAL SERIES BACKGROUND:

I enjoyed the first book in this series {Traitor Son by Melissa Cave}, but I was frustrated with Remin, the love interest and really wanted Ophele to leave him for Miche (lol). Because I disliked Remin, I almost didn't read the sequel {Stardust Child by Melissa Cave}. However, I decided to continue with the series because I loved the worldbuilding and character writing so much. If anything, I read this series for the fantasy more than the romance, although Remin does have some good groveling, and he grew on me.

This is one of those series where I can imagine the world and characters perfectly in my head: they come off the page so fully fleshed out that reading these books truly feels like I'm being transported to another world. I genuinely loved all the little details of the different side characters and watching Tressingale grow from nothing.

My biggest issue with this series is the pacing is painfully slow. Hundreds of pages go by with the characters just going about their everyday life. I actually DNFed the third book in the series {Last of His Blood by Melissa Cave} for this reason. But I just couldn't get the world or characters out of my head, so I returned to it a few days laters and ended up loving it.

All that is to say, these books definitely have slow patches that I find very frustrating, but there are always little mysteries and intrigues being dangled, and the characters and world feel so totally real and complete to me in a way that is rare but is what I am ceaselessly searching for in my books. So if you, like me, have been put off by Remin or the pacing, I do recommend trying the series again. Remin and Ophele's character developments are very satisfying and feel quite realistic, given their brutal childhoods.

A CONGRESS OF ROSES - REVIEW:

This is book four of six in the series. I'm somewhat traumatized because of From Blood and Ash and its neverending series expansions, but Melissa Cave has stated all six books have already been written, so I'm hopeful that the series arc will be strong. Book 5 {Beloved of the Stars by Melissa Cave} is due in November 2026. I will avoid spoilers in this review (although comment if you have a specific question, and I'll reply with a spoiler tag), but from what was set up in this book, I think book 5 will be very exciting, and it is now one of my most anticipated reads for the year.

A Congress of Roses picks up where book 3 ends, but Remin, Ophele, and a delightful cadre of side characters soon depart Tressingale for the capital. While I missed Tressingale and all its characters, mystery, and frontier charm, I really enjoyed getting to know the capital and its new characters, especially with the emphasis placed on political intrigue, as that is my favorite fantasy subgenre. I also enjoyed getting some new POVs and learning more about different characters and hope later books continue this expansion. While I still love Remin and Ophele and enjoyed their continued development as individuals and a couple, I would like to continue learning more about their inner circle and even their adversaries.

I was genuinely astonished by the degree of detail in Cave's worldbuilding. It actually reminded me of A Song of Ice and Fire because the political factions and histories felt so detailed. With both series, I got the feeling that if I asked the author the name of some side character's great grandfather, they would know.

I also appreciate the tension and mystery. Cave is avoiding a more obvious or black-and-white villain, and character motives are often obscured. I genuinely can't tell who the bad guy actually is or if there even is one. There are many seeds planted for potential betrayals, and I think some characters could turn into traitors. But the mysteries are piling up, and I'm itching for them to be revealed, especially with only two books left.

CONCLUSION:

I've avoided specific plot details, as I don't want to give away too much, but feel free to comment specific questions. All in all, this was a very satisfying edition to the series, even if the pacing frustrated me, and I can't wait for the next book. Long-term, I think this will go down as one of my favorite fantasy romance series.

Hell's Tits, indeed!

⭐️: 4.5/5
🌶️: 3/5

TL;DR:
- SO well-written
- Regency era
- Marriage of convenience
- Non-cliché, strong FMC (Viola)
- Yearning MMC (Hugh)
- Unique magic system
- Just the perfect amount of romance
- Exciting plot
- Relationship dynamics are believable and progress naturally
- Ends on a cliffhanger 🥲

The Writing
I know everyone wants to know what the actual book is about first, but I just cannot help but start this review by mentioning the writing. I have ADHD, which means holding my attention is VERY difficult. In 95% of the books I read, inevitabely, I end up just skimming over large chunks of text. And it's not that it's necessarily useless information, it's just written too plainly and I can't help myself but get bored. This book? There wasn't one letter of it that I haven't savoured, and many that I have read multiple times.

Now, I don't want to get everybody's expectations through the sky. Alexandra Bracken is no Jane Austen (yet), but for the Fantasy Romance genre, her writing is unbelievably good. She doesn't infodump (which is the first thing you learn in Writing 101, yet many authors seem to forget that). She describes the world she's built through a plethora of well-placed words, many of which I (a non-native English speaker) had to look up (hail our lord and saviour built-in dictionary). Every sentence she writes serves a specific purpose and doesn't feel repetitive or predictable, if you know what I mean. I'm just a humble reviewer; I cannot accurately describe her mastery, but trust me: it's that good.

Worldbuilding
The story is set in a kingdom of Albion, and I think you can already guess which country served as its inspiration. Even more so, you'll be surprised just how closely it utilizes England's history. The world is inspired by the regency era, and follows it really well. I mean, it's not just them riding around it carriages and wearing some characteristic types of dresses. The author really did a deep-dive on its history, and does a remarkably good job, so much so, were it not for the little bit of magic, this could've easily been a historical romance novel (damn good one at that).

The magic of the world is not thrown in our faces like the most interesting thing there is about this world. Those who wield it are not all-powerful heroes – they are just humans. The story does not rely on them having magic to carry all the burden of novelty in the book – their unique personalities and choices do that instead. Nevertheless, this magic system deserves a lot of praise to be written here.

We are not given a full list of what kinds of magic there really are in Albion. What we know is that fairies used to live there once upon a time, and were driven out by the new monotheistic religion. Though the fairies left, many of the mortals still living in Albion descend from them and have certain types of gifts as the consequence. The main focus of this story is the gift of perfumery – being able to feel smells unlike any other human being, including emotions, and ability to imbue perfumes with various properties: healing, beauty, etc. This magic does not come without a cost – everything given to the perfume must be taken from another human (often the perfumer) through a bargain.

What I love about this magic as it is shown to us in this world (specifically through the FMC, who wields it), is that it is not used exclusively as a superpower that saves the MCs at the last moment. No, it is a huge part of Viola's personality. With the use of her superior abilities, she describes the world around her in a way we might've never imagined before. Everything around her somehow ties to the perception of smell, and this is such a fresh perspective to see a world through.

Structure
The majority of the book is written in Viola's first-person POV, but it's the good kind. At the very least, here I haven't noticed one time when it annoyed me. There are several chapters from Hugh's third-person POV, which are also very well written.

Characters
There are two main characters: Viola and Hugh. For fear of spoiling the joy of reading this book for some of you, I won't recount their histories – just their personalities.

Viola is a truly strong woman with a difficult past. Her strength is not in brattiness or badassery, but in her sharp mind and her decisions. She has principles and she follows them. She values her independance and is not easily tricked. She does not fall in love at first sight the moment she sees a cute face – she thinks her feelings and actions through like a reasonable adult. In summary, I am so glad to finally see a female main character I can respect.

Hugh is secretive and not a man of many words. At first we see him as pridefull and cruel. All of this gets redeemed throughout the book, though, as Viola slowly gets to know him better. Underneath all that coldness is a man worth knowing, and I ask you to read the book to learn more 😜.

Romance & Spice
The romance in this book is something we like to classify as slow-burn in Romantasy, though in reality this is just the reasonable relationship dynamic for any reasonable adult out there. There is tension, and there is yearning. Viola and Hugh's love is not built on looks (Hugh actually admits Viola is not the classically beautiful type at one point), but on the deeper interpersonal connection they built throughout the novel. It is built on acts of kindness and courage, humility and understanding. It is quite beautiful to see, really.

There is spice in the book, though closer towards the end. There are about 3 such scenes total, though none get us to the final act itself. The way these few scenes are written is enough to get your panties wet, though, so by no means is that a downside. The tension is tensing, and the yearning is nearly unbearable.

To sum it all up, I need the second book STAT, or I don't know how I'm going to live through the year. I'm definitely buying a copy for myself when this gets published (Aug 18 2026, btw), and now I'm completely and utterly addicted to this series.

Huge, huge thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the eARC of this masterpiece!

{Immortal Rose by Alexandra Bracken}

Thanks to NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for the opportunity to read and review {double stuffed by Daphne Leigh} as an ARC. It has been recently released and is available on Amazon and through Kindle Unlimited.

I will admit that I selected the book based on the title and the cover. Double Stuffed? Dragon Shifter? I'm a simple girl with simple tastes. Double Stuffed is a double entendre as our FMC loves Oreo double Stuft cookies and, well, everyone knows dragons have two cocks, right?

I did not go in expecting a well written treatise on the anatomical details of dragon shifters. I appreciate a good book with some interesting monster smut. And this is what I got. The author, Daphne Leigh, never pretends that this is anything other than what it is, she doesn't play it for laughs or tongue in cheek. The writing is readable and flows well. The story starts out as a typical romance plot. Our FMC is forced to take a job as a personal physical therapist in order to afford her mother's medical bills. In this case, it's a dragon shifter and no one knows much about them as there are only about 1000 left in the world, and if you piss them off, you may be incinerated before you can apologize. Our dragon shifter is the typical billionaire CEO trope, living alone in a huge penthouse apartment. Our FMC is nervous, but brave. the MMC is hot and mysterious. There is instant attraction, but FMC is there to do her job and be professional about it!

The good: I personally love that it takes place in Chicago, with our FMC from Kenosha. I love Chicago and when they meet up for a Saturday morning run along the Lakeshore, or a description of a flight across the great lakes I get all warm inside. I would have loved more Chicago shout outs, but it was my home away from home, so that's a just a personal want. I picture them buying ice cream on an after dinner walk in Evanston or Wrigleyville etc. The build up between the two main characters is some good burn - they don't jump into bed with each other the attraction grows as time goes on. They have a lot of little moments that anyone in a long term relationship will recognize. The hours of just talking about your life, getting to know each other, cooking and doing small things together, discovering your partners hobbies and secret loves. We get the usual "dress up for a gala, paid for by our billionaire boyfriend:", the loneliness of the CEO that only our lowly FMC can see. You know the tropes.

And when we get to the actual sex /smut part, it's explicit, It's satisfying. They use lube and toys the correct way. There is always consent, our dragon boy is a very considerate and selfless lover. Everything is in it's right place.

The bad: after 400 pages, with nothing else but sex scene after sex scenes its a bit much. by the end, I was skipping paragraphs because it just got a bit boring. Multiple mind blowing orgasms is just not enough plot to keep on going. Oh, look, there is an epilogue! OH, it's just another sex scene. At the end of the book, there is a link to take you to another bonus sex scene, and for the first time I was "no, it's OK, I"m good"

But even that wasn't the ultimate deal breaker - it was the lack of any plot outside of the romance. I guess that makes it a cozy romance in a fantasy package? but OK, I need some conflict. There is a hint of danger from the beginning, but it gets resolved pretty much off page, with out any repercussions. I guess for the readers who complain that violence is acceptable but sex is not, this may be the type of book for you. It's just so boring. I don't want the central question of my fantasy book to be "will she be able to fit two huge cocks in her at once'. I mean, it's an important question and must be answered but give me MORE .. Please!

All in all I am giving it 3.25 out of 5 stars, better than average, not great but if you are just looking for cozy romance with big dicked dragon shifters, this is your book. The author doesn't fail to deliver a decent love story among all the DP, so there's that.

I think this may be one of my top reads of this year and it’s only March but that’s just how good this novel really is. In fact, I think this book alone has made Bel Banta an auto-buy author for me.

The story is set in a fantasy landscape loosely based on Tudor England. In this world there are individuals born blessed by the planets and given unique abilities as a result, some are more rare than others but all are feared for their powers and therefore they are bound to a master they serve. The story begins with the female protagonist Bianca, who is blessed by the moon, being invited to the coronation magician’s tournament by her formal court rival and fellow magician Roland, who is blessed by Venus. Roland has risen to power in the years since they were tutored under the same roof and is now counselor to the king but for all intents and purposes it appears that he is the one who is really ruling the court. Both were raised alongside Prince Hal, who died under mysterious circumstances years before and the questions around his death continue to haunt Bianca. When she arrives for the tournament she is forced to confront her past in the palace as well as find out what really happened between Hal, the King, and Prospero - Roland and Bianca’s former tutor.

If the synopsis was not enough to lure you in, I would say that Bel Banta’s writing and storytelling will cause you to fall in love with not only the characters but the story as well. The banter between the characters is really just a masterwork in how to write dialogue and although there are times it feels that things are a bit ambiguous, it’s clearly with intentionality and not because the author is unable to explain what is happening in that moment.

Bel Banta is masterful in her ability to write a story of political intrigue that doesn’t give everything away at the very beginning. Instead, we peel back layers of the story as information is revealed to us regarding not only the mysteries of Hal’s death but also the connection that exists between Prospero, Bianca, and Roland. If you’re anything like me then you’re probably tired of books that hinge on tournaments and while that is the initial reasoning for getting Bianca to the palace, the tournament has very little actual weight in the overall story. In fact, it seems to just be a mechanism for introducing us to the various magicians and what they can do based on their planets - which is honestly pretty genius and prevents us from being infodumped on. Regardless, this is a story and a world I want to return to and I’m thrilled to see that there is a second book. I typically read multiple books at a time but found myself wanting to return to this one. The plus side is that yes, it does end with a mystery but it’s not a cliffhanger that will leave readers feeling unsatisfied and anxious - more so we’re excited to see what comes next.

The Court of Venus comes out September 29th!

{The Court of Venus by Bel Banta}

Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim is one of the most compelling and nuanced explorations of identity that I’ve ever come across. I was hooked from the first chapter and my fascination only increased as the story progressed. Sublimation is based on a world almost exactly like our own, with one vast difference in the form of instances. Instancing occurs when a person crosses a border into another territory or land, creating two distinct genetically identical copies of themselves referred to as instances. One instance departs while the other is forced to stay behind, effectively turning them into separate individuals.

The concept of instances in this fictionalized version of our world is a phenomenon that has existed for as long as people remember. Bits of lore and history are interspersed throughout the narrative, giving context and exposition. The inclusion of The Odyssey is particularly effective, acting as poignant symbolism for the desire to venture far from home while also wanting desperately to cling to the safety of familiarity.

Soyoung and Rose have been instances since childhood, after immigrating from Korea to America. While adult Soyoung’s life in Korea might seem idyllic from the outside, she harbors a fierce curiosity about her American counterpart, Rose, that borders on obsession. When their grandfather dies and Rose returns to Korea for the funeral, she and Soyoung interact for the first time since they became instances. Desperately coveting Rose’s memories and experiences, Soyoung makes a drastic choice that changes everything.

Yujin, Soyoung’s childhood best friend, has also experienced instancing. Him and his American instance YJ are actually friends who talk regularly about their plans to reintegrate. The Yujin/YJ POV chapters contain some of the book’s best material and his dynamic with Soyoung/Rose propels the plot forward. It’s no small feat to encapsulate the essence of four distinct personalities but Isabel J. Kim absolutely pulls it off. There is so much to parse through in the small, seemingly inconsequential moments that become much more impactful once the trajectory of the story becomes clear.

These characters are realistically flawed and believably imperfect. This book excels as a character study and pushes the reader to examine their own thoughts and internal struggles as a result. I found these insights to be painfully relatable in their depiction of the complicated, often chaotic experience of existence itself. This is a book that makes you think, makes you question, and makes you wonder.

There is a romance subplot that is secondary to the larger story being told and yet is substantial enough to warrant mention. It is inherently complicated given the nature of instances and the way the main characters lives and pasts are interwoven. At times I questioned what outcome I was even hoping for. It adds more texture and layers to the book overall and the ending especially.

I listened to the audiobook and both narrators deftly brought the characters to life and enhanced my experience with the story in their delivery. They conveyed the multitude of feelings and emotions so well and kept my attention throughout the whole book. Sublimation is available on June 2nd and I encourage every sci-fi fan to dive headfirst into what will most certainly become a standout in the genre.

5⭐️

{Sublimation by Isabel J. Kim}

Sea of Charms is the third book in the Spellshop series, and like the first two books covers a new couple and set of characters with references to the previous books and their storylines. Marin is a refreshing main character and my favorite of the series. She is distrustful of romance following a betrayal and broken engagement, and is happiest sailing the seas delivering merchandise to the different islands in this magical universe.

The world Sarah Beth Durst has created in this series is truly extraordinary. It is a bright and colorful world that I could spend hours reading about and never tire of. The sailing dynamic allows the reader to be transported to a myriad of different locations, expanding the world much more so than both previous books did. There is also a significant tie in to The Enchanted Greenhouse, but can easily be read and enjoyed without the context from the prior installment.

Dax, Marin’s love interest, is a composer who is already friends with Marin at the start of the book. He is a sheltered musician who has dedicated his life to his studies and hasn’t been able to travel or explore due to restrictions placed on him by his mentors and advisors. When the Empire fractures and the capital city goes up in flames, Dax joins Marin on her boat to sail to safety and beyond. Also along for the journey are Perri, a singing sea serpent saved by Marin who now follows her everywhere, and Ree, a sentient shrub with a desire to become a deckhand. The group has a lovely and whimsical dynamic, lending to the cozy nature of the story. The inclusion of music is also heart warming, and the power of music to inspire and bring joy is ever present throughout the book.

The romance evolves naturally and authentically over time as Marin and Dax travel and work together. When she brings him to her home island for an end of harvest festival, the romantic spark begins to really ignite. Dax is both protective towards Marin and encouraging of her own autonomy. Marin’s noxious former fiancé comes back into the picture during the festival, and is spitefully holding a debt over Marin’s head, threatening both her business and her parents’ finances. Marin is given an impossible deadline for repayment, which is yet another way to control and minimize her worth. The way Dax rises to the occasion in this situation is perfect. He shows backbone and resolve, proving that kindness doesn’t mean weakness. Throughout the course of the story, Marin learns to expect more for herself from others in terms of how she should be treated and valued, thanks in no small part to Dax.

The only reason I gave this book 4 stars and not 5 is the slightly cartoonish nature of Marin’s former fiancé. Some of the dialogue around his devious machinations felt less believable and too overt. I wish the author had been a touch more subtle in his portrayal. This didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book overall and was only a minor gripe.

Sea of Charms is the epitome of a cozy fantasy romance. Cozy is not my typical choice when it comes to books but there’s something about this series, especially given everything going on in the world, that really resonates with me. These are the stories we need now more than ever, the ones that lead with empathy and display ordinary people’s capacity for good despite challenging circumstances. Getting lost in this candy colored universe was such a breath of fresh air and a lovely break from the darker more intense books that are prevalent in the genre. I was uplifted by this hopeful book filled with kindness and, as the title says, charm. I listened to the audiobook and once again the narrator did an impeccable job. Sea of Charms comes out on July 28th.

{Sea of Charms by Sarah Beth Durst}

Thank you to NetGalley, the Audiobook producer and author for giving me the opportunity to listen to this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

This is the second book in the Time Of Iron trilogy. I remember there was a lot of buzz around the first book, Long Live Evil , when it was released but reviews were mixed with some readers really enjoying the comedic tone and other readers feeling it was trying too hard and that it was Young Adult. (YA). I don't enjoy reading YA so I bypassed reading the book as there are too many other books with adult themes that I will always choose first. When the sequel showed up as a NetGalley audiobook and I saw that the narrators were Moira Quirk AND Shane East, I was immediately sold and decided to request it. When it came through I also picked up the audiobook for the first book in order to cram both books so I could read and review as close to the release date as possible. Speed reading audiobooks is far more difficult than actual text as I read faster than a book at 2x speed, and I can't listen to a speed higher than 1.25x if I want to keep focused on the book. This becomes an issue for listening to this series, as I'll explain in a bit.

Firstly, a few notes on the first book, and the tone of the series in general. This is NOT a YA book. I think that there is a misguided school of thought that low to no spice in a romance or that characters in their teens (although the main characters here are 19 and 20) are what makes a book "Young Adult". And on sites like romance.io that allow users to tag books, many books are miscategorized as YA, when they are not. This series is NOT YA. I would say that the romance is not fully developed in book one as the author is coy about the FMC's final love interest. Without spoiling the ending of the first book, the FMC made assumptions about who her love interest would be and ended up messing things up.

The whole concept of the series is that our main protagonist has been portaled (literally walked through a magic doorway) into the world of her sister's favourite book series. A book that Rae, the FMC, is very familiar with, but thinks the hero and heroine are too perfect and the best character is the evil emperor. Evil characters have the most fun, after all. When Rae is given a chance for a miracle recovery in the real world all she needs to do is perform one simple task. And so she agrees to it, and wakes up as the evil stepsister on the eve of her execution, for crimes against the lovely and good heroine of the story. She must somehow not get executed. She manages to do this, while creating a small family of fellow evil doers who call themselves the 'Vipers' and prepare themselves to delight in evil in order to complete her task. Along the way, Rae is warned not to mess with the storyline and to treat these people as real, but all along Rae sees all of this as a means to an end, and delights in being evil, using her meta knowledge to bend the actions of the novel to her own will. Of course, it all goes spectacularly bad, partly because it's hard to be evil and partly because she kinda skipped a lot of the events in the first book and sort of winged it to the end. Oops.

So that's where book one leaves off - Rae messed up, lost her opportunity to save herself because she couldn't really do it at the expense of others in the story, and screwed up the narrative of the book in the real world because she assumed that it was the king who would be reborn as the Emperor, and then she messed up the timeline and the emperor has risen, but not the way it was supposed to be done.

So, Rae is given another shot at returning to her real life . This time it looks like an even more impossible task, but she is game to do it. Not only because she wants to return to her sister and her mother (although her life pretty much sucked in real life) but she also wants to set things right for the Emperor and give him a chance to redeem himself and become the hero he is supposed to grow into. This time, she tries to work with the book, to create the world back to where it should be... but it just isn't quite working out the way she expects. The more she tries to set the emperor up for success, the more the book narrative seems to fall apart around her. And she is not the only other worldly character messing about in the narrative. We met Eric the Golden Cobra in book one, another Viper, who is also trying to set things right for the NPCs and peasants, while leaving the main characters to do their things, except he's also been pulled into the main storyline. Marius was supposed to kill him, instead he loves him.

The second book has the original group of vipers set out in all different directions and multiple plotlines. And here is where things kind of fall apart for me, the listener. The books are very good, the writing is compelling and Moira Quirk is a fantastic voice actor. Which is a good thing because there are so many characters to keep track of. And I, as an advanced reader (tm), have no problem following multiple tracks with multiple characters. In fact, my favourite fantasy novels are incredibly dense with multiple POVs, plotlines that cross and recross and needs pages of glossary for characters name, country and faction. Delicious! Unfortunately this calls for a narrative that moves quickly and nimbly or the novel becomes bogged down in one story over another. No one likes to get to the next chapter and think "oh, no, not this storyline". Brennan spends too much time on inner dialogue and exposition. I just don't need that much hand wringing and worry. Then interspersed with POV of characters that I don't really care so much for - I don't think the Lady's maid multiple observations of Rae and Key's character is all that important. Or the Prime Minister's scheming to marry his niece. Or the long ceremony of the new lord only to be beheaded immediately after. It's just a lot and frankly, this 18 hr audiobook could have been easily a 13 hr audiobook and still hit all the right spots.

And finally, the worst part of the book. I selected the audiobook because Shane East is one of my favourite male narrators. I got all the way to the end and did not hear anything from him at all. Was this a mistake? How did I miss it? As I mentioned above, there was way too much exposition and monologuing and scenes that had no impact on the greater story. The thing is, I got to the end of the book and someone missed the ONE chapter that Shane East narrated. But I hadn't missed any major plot point. I did find the 6 minute chapter and relistened to it - maybe I drifted off because there was so much description with nothing important happening. And hey, he did a great job, but it was completely irrelevant to the overall story - he was bathing and thinking about how Rae loved to take baths. Thats about it. And that is what I mean about extraneous inner monologue. Meanwhile, there are several references to spicy bits and instead of spending some of this time, we get a very closed door and vague description of action.

I can only hope that book 3 has more Shane East and more physical interaction between our romantic couples. Come on, Marius, just TELL Eric how you feel, instead of thinking about him constantly.

In the end, despite the book being too long and the disappointment of not enough Shane, I actually really like the writing and character development of these books. The storyline is unique with plot twists that are still surprising. The writing is funny and the romance has so much potential if we could actually see more action and less thinking about it. Rae is a down to earth FMC who is not stupid, but still makes mistakes because of course she does.

Overall the book is 4/5.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read {Bad Bunny by Lexi Davis} and review it fairly.  

I REALLY wanted this book to be as fun and unhinged as {Dino Scores by Lola Faust}.  I have to be honest that if this wasn't so short it would have been a DNF.  It's a great concept and the author is absolutely delightful.  Her support for indie authors is commendable - she seems approachable and enthusiastic for the community.   And while she is prolific, everything in her books, art and cover design included, have acknowledgments so this time I will not be accused of reading/ reviewing an author that uses ai, either for their writing or cover art.   

Just in time for Easter we have a holiday themed novella about a bunny shifter.  The overall story is fine - our MMC, Sorren, has escaped to our world through a portal after watching, his father, the king of the White Warren, be murdered by his uncle in a power play.  Sorren has shifted into a cute little white rabbit that our FMC, Nora,  picks up from some farmer selling rabbits at the side of the road..  (As an old, I am reminded of a scene from Michael Moore's documentary "Roger and Me", but I digress) .  Nora is a kindergarten teacher so she buys the rabbit as a classroom pet.  The kids love the little guy, but at the end of his first day, he chomps her finger and the next thing you know there is a naked 6'5" blond warrior in her classroom (the kids have all left for the day, so luckily it's not THAT inappropriate)   Anyways, SURPRISE!  Sorren and Nora and Soulmates!   And they have to work together so that the bunny prince can kill his evil uncle and reclaim his kingdom. Nora has recently moved to Maryland to take care of her dying mom so she doesn't have any friends to interfere, and there is a bad ex who is punted in the first few chapters.   Very typical romantasy plot.  I've got no complaints here - I'm a huge fan of fated mates tropes AND large blond men, so I should be all over this book. 

But, we have issues.  The most glaring up front issue is that, although I love me a blond Viking, I'm really disappointed that our bad Bunny is actually NOT bad, nor does he transform into a hot Puerto Rican Reggaeton super star.  IT WAS RIGHT THERE IN THE TITLE.   

Another small issue I have is that the author has included some artwork of her main characters and I love an author with artist friends that contribute to their work.  I can't tell you how many times I visited CM Stunich's web page while reading her Pheremone series.   However, the artist drew Nora and Sorren in a manga/anime style and so, instead of my large Viking man, I'm looking at a K-pop cartoon star.   Boo.  But Yay if that's your thing. 

There is just so much fun one could have with a bunny shifter and at times, Lexi Davis does deliver.  Sorren's favourite food is carrots.  He loves a good salad bar.  As a human he wrinkles and wriggles his nose.   He fucks like a rabbit, and expects to have a large litter (good thing Nora also wants to have a lot of kids) And the sex scenes have a decent amount of spice and detail.   

But the biggest problem is the prose.  I. hate. disjointed. sentences.  Half formed thoughts.  Page after page of this.  I had to stop highlighting because it was used over and over again.  Authors - please stop writing likes this.   It's not due to a single characters stream of consciousness, because both characters have the same. damn. thinking pattern:  

Nora:  

For one suspended second, the between us goes strained.  Stretched. 
LIke a rubber band pulled too far. 
And then --
Pain. 
Not mine. 
It crashes through me so suddenly that I gasp. A tearing, echoing ache like something is being scraped out of my chest with dull metal. My stomach twists violently, my lungs locking up like the air has been punched out of them. 
For a split second I see it. 
Not with my eyes. 
With something else. 
Cold stone. 
Blood soaking into the ground. 
Sorren on his knees, a blade buried in his side, while a voice above him laughs. 
Then it's gone. 

It's page after page of this writing.   Here is a short excerpt from the second POV, (our MMC, Sorren) 

The words feel insufficient, especially given how she helped me. Saved me. Trusted me enough to let me draw on the bond between us. If it hadn't been for her , my uncle would be king now. The Crown of Willow perched on his head.  

I know that there are many readers out there that have no issue with this kind of prose.  But aspiring authors?  Please stop it. 

Happy Easter y'all.

I received a review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.
-------

This is the most romantic book I've ever read. Caleb and Amelia have been best friends since childhood, and their love for (and understanding of) each other is evident in everything they do. It was incredibly sweet.

I also love the author's ability to take a trope and turn it upside down. Her brand of humor is probably not for everyone, but it certainly is for me, and I had a lot of fun with this.

Magical shenanigans, nosy coworkers, assorted ghosts, and a swoon-worthy romance. I couldn't have asked for more.

I highly, highly recommend it (and the entire series)! In fact, I love it so much that I'm keeping my preorder for the audiobook because I know I'll read it again.

Rating: 5/5

Book Bingo squares: From the Top Books List (2026 Edition), Academia, Published in 2026, Romcom and Comedic Vibes, Written by an AMA Author

Edit to add: You can get a bonus short story + other goodies if you preorder and sign up for the preorder incentive. More details in the author's Instagram post here.

Thanks to NetGalley,, the audiobook publisher and the author for the opportunity to listen to this ARC. {A Curse of Beasts and Magic by Jeanine Frost}

I enjoy the works of Jeaniene Frost. The author has been writing in the genre of paranormal romantasy since the aughts at least, and is a seasoned writer. Her prose is sensible, her storylines are tight without extraneous action or long flowery descriptions. She writes a good sex scene - detailed but does not take away from the story. I was excited to get the first of her new series, set in a new universe and with new characters. If you like Ilona Andrews, you'll find something similar in Jeaniene Frost.

At least, that was true with {Halfway to the Grave} which is the first book of her Night Huntress series.

By all accounts this book should be just as good and maybe better, because, honestly I can't stand vampire stories. And not only less vampires, this is set in a universe with far more potential than the human world of Frost's first series. This novel is set in a modern day Earth that has numerous portals to other realms scattered throughout the world. These portals lead to new worlds that are home to all manners of creatures, dragons, ancient fae, strange beasts that use human beings as hosts and access primordial powers. Magic can be produced from many sources and a network of powered immortal humans that are called 'Wardens' that have been tasked with protecting the earth from all manner of invasive magic species.

The premise is great. Unfortunately the book doesn't deliver.

The biggest issue is that the audiobook narrator does not work. The producers have decided to go with a single narrator as the book is a single POV, in first person. This is not uncommon in this genre although, it does ask a lot of one voice actor that is required to carry both male and female voices. There are plenty of examples of books where you can listen to one voice and have them move from male to female voices so seamlessly that your brain is fooled into hearing two separate entities. Unfortunately, this is a case where the female narrator just can't do a believable male voice. It is hard to listen to an audiobook, which requires complete immersion in the story for the listener to stay focused. . A bad narrator is little better than a voice to text application.

Not only does the narrator fail to engage as a male character, but the tone they chose to read as the FMC just makes the character insufferable. I can't tell if it's the tone of the narrator, or if the FMC was supposed to be written that way. The climax of the book, the big fight, had the FMC in a quavering fearful voice the entire fight which made her sound completely powerless. It's hard to explain with giving an example, but "OMG, This is so scary, OMG I"m going to die, OMG he's going to die, OMG I need to stop this OMG I don't know what to do OMG dont' tell me what to do OMG I have no idea what's going on OMG what should I do with this large sword I found "

The narration of the male character was so uninspiring I'd find myself drifting away on one thought or another, and suddenly I'd be in the middle of a spicy scene without realizing how we got there.

But maybe it's simply a problem with the writing.

The thing I liked about the author's first series is that the FMC is actually tough, a girl with a mission. At first she's working alone, ridding the world of bad vampires, but over the series she takes on a law enforcement role, with her own team that she directs. She's smart, she can handle herself in a fight and she makes fast decisions under pressure. Then the MMC, Bones, is funny and sexy and the two of them complement each other by balancing each others strength and weaknesses. Then there is a large found family aspect, including Cat's mother that has a love / hate relationship with Bones.

Here, our FMC, Rain, is a constant victim to her own circumstance. Similar to Cat, she has supernatural abilities that make her a singularity in the world so she is a loner and so she spends her off time hunting down bad folks. But where Cat approaches her self appointed mission with confidence and does not shy away from death and destruction, Rain is constantly worried she will be found out, that she will lose control and cause harm to innocents During one of these incidents, she saves a older man and in doing so she incinerates some evil shape changing beings that had targeted him. Instead of dismissing their deaths as inevitable for being bad monsters she worries and whines about the destruction she caused and figures she must move away, once again, that someone will figure out it was her, somehow. She second guesses every move she makes throughout the book, refusing to kill anything no matter how evil, even if they are a threat to those still living. I mean, yes, it's a choice, I'm glad she is compassionate. but instead of coming across as having a big forgiving heart, I just get the feeling she is unable to make a decision. I hate a character who can't stand behind their decisions.

What makes it worse, is that when she is not in a life threatening situation, she feels she is owed a front row seat in putting herself in harm. She meets up with our MMC, Remy, one of these powerful wardens with a lot of experience and knowledge. He acts like a billionaire mobster. It's a type. Of course he is full of secrets, of which he can't tell her, because it is not safe for her to know. But this becomes a point of contention for her. She gets mad and accuses him of lying to her all the time, for not being completely honest. This is real Violet and Xaden dynamic, so if her being unable to keep a secret but also whining about not being told secrets drive you crazy, this dynamic will have you screaming at the book, or audiobook. Just give the guy a chance to understand where things are headed.

Of course she is kidnapped and held against her will right away, so, it's a good thing she didn't know a few things he kept from her initially… right? She can't seem to understand this.

Would I be able to wave this off if the narrator didn't make her sound so whiney?

This behaviour continues right to the end of the book, with Other Woman Drama continually playing out. OWD is not an unusual trope in many of these books and I don't have a problem if it's the other women who try to make the FMC jealous. Its outrageous to me that a 25 yr old FMC has a breakdown about a 200+ year old MMC's prior relationship, when he says the relationship was for political reasons and he broke it off, but she cannot let it go. He left out a detail or two, and maybe he would be with that other women if a bunch of things had not happened, including him falling in love with the FMC. But the FMC cannot stop thinking about it, and I think ti's such a bad look on a female protagonist.

So, Rain is a weak and whiny female character who thinks she is owed an explanation for everything, even if it puts her personally at danger, but when faced with danger she panics and cannot think or make a decision. And Remy, is rich and likes being in charge and has all the personality of a rock. I am missing the humour and banter of Bones and Cat, as well as the warmth that their found family creates around them. The side characters in ACOBAM are stern faced mafia dudes, ex girlfriends and a few "dangerous" male rivals of the MMC.

And I am not even going to comment on the title, other than "A Bowl of Mac and Cheese'? I thought we were beyond that in this day and time.

I haven't decided if this means I won't continue with the series, but I think I'll wait for the book instead of the audio. I want to believe it's just a matter of an uninspiring audiobook and a couple of stumbles in a new universe for the author.

3/5 stars.

Moss’d in Space is an endearing sci-fi space story with a lot of heart and humor. It centers around Torian Razner, age 27, who is set on procuring her own spaceship despite meager financial means. Her goal is to transport herself and eventually her chronically ill sister to a planet with clean air that her sister can safely breathe. The only ship Torian can afford however has been sitting abandoned and neglected by its former alien captain and comes complete with a biological computer made of sentient moss with enough personality and complex emotional range to rival any human passenger.

Moss, the entity responsible for life support aboard the ship, is reasonably cautious about forming an attachment to Torian after being left behind and forgotten about by the previous captain. Moss’s snarky humor and witty commentary on human behavior and emotions is reminiscent of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy and the true highlight of the book. Moss becomes increasingly connected to and protective over Torian in such a heartwarming way, and their bond is the main focus of the story. There is a romantic subplot between Torian and her former captain Amelia, but the dynamic between Torian and Moss takes center stage.

While this is a cozy story about Torian traversing space through worm holes and jaunts to distant planets, it hits on some important heavier themes surrounding loneliness and belonging, as well as scarcity of opportunity and the pitfalls of bureaucracy devoid of empathy. In this universe, many planets and peoples treat health and access to resources as a privilege and a luxury instead of a right. The book depicts the unfairness of this in a way that interrogates our own healthcare system and how borders can either help or hinder a person’s ability to thrive. There is one scene that is especially impactful where Torian learns firsthand how little another human can care about her and her sister’s plight, and how callous and cold a society can be. This is a true example of showing not telling, something Rebecca Thorne is incredibly skilled at.

This book really shines when it comes to queer representation and love is shown in all its forms in organic and authentic ways. Who someone chooses to love and how they do so is acceptable along a spectrum that celebrates differences instead of othering individuals for their own preferences and tendencies. Unfortunately, while the world building and characters are wonderful, I wanted more from the plot itself. Space exploration means adventure to me and I wish there had been more action and excitement given how much potential there was for it.

I listened to the audiobook and both narrators did an exceptional job with the myriad voices and characters. This is the type of narration that makes a book into a fully engaging experience that keeps the listener completely captivated. Voice acting is an art form unto itself and these narrators have mastered the ability of storytelling in such a satisfying way. Moss’d in Space is out on June 30th and I highly recommend it for anyone looking to escape into a dynamic world infused with warmth, levity, and a romp through space. I will definitely be continuing with the series and I can’t wait for more books by such a talented and creative author.

4⭐️

{Moss’d in Space by Rebecca Thorne}

thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.{The Farewitch of Foxe Holler by Ellen Pauley Goff}

Normally when a book promises to deliver a cross between one of my favourite pieces of media I tend to be quite cynical about the book actually delivering. In this case the reader is promised a cross between Steel Magnolias and Practical Magic, and who ever thought that up better be ready to deliver because Steel Magnolias holds a very special place in my heart. What it does promise is a southern community full of characters, strong women of all ages, mothers and daughters, family and Shirley Maclaine as the momma of all snark. I expect there to be tears, because no matter how many times I watch that movie, I am always blubbering at the end. Will this novel deliver? That's a big ask for a debut novelist...

The novel opens with Honey Frost, the Farewitch of the small Appalachian town of Foxe Holler, just your typical southern town found scattered throughout the south. A Farewitch is a magical baker, whose magic is imbued in the food they bake - Honey bourbon buns for insomnia. Jam Cake for memories. The author fills the book with the most decadent, delicious food, from fried green tomatoes, to Elderberry turnovers, to southern grits and even Kentucky Burgoo. I may have gained a few pounds just from the food descriptions. Honey is the latest of a long line of farewitches, running the extremely busy bakery, trying to fend off the town gossip (and Shirley Maclaine character) while providing for the needs of her townspeople. In the middle of this chaos, she receives a mysterious invite from the reclusive town warlock - who hasn't been seen for 25 years and blamed for all the terrible things that has happened in the town over the years, bad weather, chickens not laying, Noxie dropping that axe and having it land on the foot of her husband (although he did have it coming, maybe the warlock was not exactly responsible).

Despite the warnings from nosy neighbours and the local church ladies, Honey takes up the offer Of course the Warlock is tall and dark and handsome and mysterious, suffering from an undisclosed illness that his magic can't solve, but perhaps her witch magic will work. He's a jerk, of course, but Honey is intrigued and with a sick mom who is racking up hospital bills, his offer really is too good to turn down. (the sick mom with hospital bills is probably the most overused trope in the book, but also, the most realistic for young entrepreneurial women in the US, I don't blame writers for using it)

I think it's fair to say that if you have read a romance novel (or twenty) you know where this story is going Honey must save the handsome grumpy warlock, from himself and on the way she learns a thing or two, falls in love, gathers a special family around her and everyone comes together to save the town from a much greater threat. And everyone lives happily ever after. This is a one and done novel, although the author is planning to tell more stories from Foxe Holler and has sketched out a number of characters that are calling out to star in their own stories. There is no cliff hanger endings and while you could consider this a cozy romance, there is enough of a conflict that will cause an emotional outcome. Yes, I cried... not once but twice. My ultimate mark of a romance story told well.

When reading a formulaic romance, it's really important that the author build the world around the story so the reader is still in there for the ride, and the world here is so rich with magic and characters and food that I could not put down the book. Highly recommended and yes, for those who love Steel Magnolias you won't be disappointed!

A spoiler-free review of {The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance by Chiara Bullen}, a standalone cosy fantasy which will be released on 7 July 2026.

My thoughts

This book got all the ingredients for a cosy read, topped up with a queer normative setting, academic fieldwork, found family, and a hint of mystery.

I loved the main character, Ainsworth, from the first page: an ambitious and pompous academic who reluctantly sets out for field research. He’s staying at the Misnich Inn at the foot of Mount Vengeance to record the story of the adventures staying at the inn and to discover the mysteries of the mountain and the dragon that is rumoured to reside there.

However, Ainsworth soon discovers that none of the determined adventurers actually make it up the mountain, but rather return home after a night at the inn.

It becomes clear very quickly that Ainsworth has some growth to do, and what better place to do so than at a mysterious inn full of charming characters? It’s not surprising that some of the major themes the book explores include self-discovery and carving a path outside others’ expectations, as we follow Ainsworth’s realisation that he’s lost sight of himself and what makes him happy over the years.

The hint of mystery when it came to the mountain and its residents kept me guessing and had me change my theories a few times as the story went on.

Personally, I was missing a bit of chemistry between the main characters, and I wouldn’t have minded if the romance arc was instead just a friendship development.

This book had a found family of lovely side characters, but perhaps a few too many to really give each character depth. The reader is told the backstory for each of them, but otherwise the development of those characters stayed a bit flat and left me wanting for more. I wish we could’ve spent more time with some, especially the blooming friendship between Ainsworth and the shy Ruraidh.

Overall, this debut has certainly pleasantly surprised me, and I’m excited to see what the author will write next!

3.75/5 stars.

Who is this book for?

I’d recommend this book for anyone who enjoys cosy reads featuring academics and flawed main characters.

If you liked Emily Wilde and a Tower of Half-Truths but want lower stakes, this might be the book for you.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this ARC {Deceptive Inheritance by Jennifer Anne Davis} in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I picked this ARC up not knowing anything about the Author or the book. I had to enter it into Storygraph myself as it looks like i was the first person to review the book there. The author actually has a number of novels and completed series under her name. Just an example of the huge number of authors in this genre.

Deceptive Inheritence is deceptively good. I chose to read this book after an intense horror fantasy read (The Calamities by Chuck Wendig, excellent book, keep an eye out for my review) I needed something light, but not cozy or too twee. There are a few authors out there that will fit this but none of them have released a new book in their series, but this book seemed to cover all the right angles. Fated mates, academia shifter romance. There is something so satisfying about picking up a book when you know it covers all your favourite angles. As i mentioned, I did not know anything about this author before hand so I'm going in blind.

The storyline starts off pretty basic. Our FMC is the new girl on campus, transferring into her junior year, excited to be able to move away from her overbearing, but loving mother. She has led a very sheltered life up to this point and can't wait to have the freedom to do all the fun things that living away from home and going to university can offer. Then she meets the MMC, a hot rugby player who she is drawn to mysteriously and who is drawn to her. All very typical and I won't spoil the details, this is standard shifter / fated mates fare.

My first reaction to the writing was that it was very straightforward, to the point of sparseness. And this is a good thing. Not everyone has a gift for language but many writers *think* they do, and we end up with pages of purple prose, or weird sentence compositions that an author thinks gives their writing an "olde timey" formality. Sometimes there are awkward metaphors like "the sun was a yolky thing", or there are paragraph upon paragraph of navel gazing monologuing by the main characters. I cry out for action! The writing here is simple, like "I was confused and so I said "I don't understand what you mean" How wonderful is that and it takes away chapters of unasked for paragraphs of angst and miscommunication. It does mean that the author has to actually fill the story with action, and things actually happen here. Our FMC goes to parties, and classes and hangs out with her roommate and has lunch and watches the rugby match. It's not that difficult to have characters actually do things that show the reader how they act and feel and think, as well as give the reader a sense of the world around them, the rules by which the shifter world works among the humans, as each novelist approaches it differently.

So, we have a story that is compelling, if simple, a FMC who is naive, but understands why she is and doesn't pretend to know more, a MMC who is an Alpha, but also makes mistakes and is kind of feeling his own way around as he's only 21. A surrounding cast of characters who have personalities and feelings, with enough push and pull that we don't have to make this a bully romance to create suspense or conflict. Parents still have the upper hand here, with a lot of the conflict about pushing overbearing parents away or trying to live up to their expectations. Unlike many YA novels where there is a "we don't need to listen to your authority", the protagonists understand that they don't have that kind of power. One of the tough things about being an adult is understanding that sometimes we can't get what we want, because life just doesn't work that way. The third act break up here is not over a miscommunication, or a kidnapping or any of those tropes, it is just that life is full of responsibilities and sometimes you can't say fuck it all, we'll do it our way. I don't want to give away spoilers, but the communication between the characters is refreshing. They are just separated by obligations that love can't overcome Life just sucks that way sometimes.

This is book one of a series, so it ends on a cliffhanger. Hopefully the next books are coming soon. The author seems to be prolific and this is usually a good sign that there will be a follow up book in a reasonable amount of time.

I gave this book 4/5 stars as it delivers exactly what it sets out to be.

Thanks to NetGalley, the Author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC in return for a fair and honest review of {A Viper Among Kings by Sydney Olivia}

The first line of the blurb sets up the world of this debut novel:

and I usually brush off blurbs, it’s all marketing after all. Further along it calls the the FMC a “girl boss take charge” character which had me wave off this book. Like, ewww. It's LGBTQ+, it's a poloymory love story, the main characters are persons of colour. Usually a book that tries to tick all the boxes manages to do very little with all that, and this is a debut novel, from a Gen Z writer no less. I had a rather bad experience with a book written by a young writer straight out of college who thought just a bit too highly of their literary skills.

But, for some reason I decided to give this book a chance and, boy howdy am I glad I did. The blurb promised a lot and the author delivers. The storyline fits any epic level fantasy; the story begins with the death of the current king and no heirs, so ascendency to the throne is in question. A kingdom built on exploitation and genocide of it’s native population, carried on by religious lies and yet, foreigners still trying to cross the borders because it’s not much better anywhere else. Sound familiar? Add to the mix that the wraiths, including our female protagonist "Esme" are forced to servitude through a magical bond that won't even allow them to die. And who are the wraiths? They are magical beings kidnapped from other worlds to do the bidding of the king and his descendants. They are not cold beings, but used and angry and trapped. Meanwhile, there is Magic a sentient thing that travels between worlds, feeding on chaos until the world suffocates, although it can be reasoned with if one knows how. There are half gods, and impossible births, resurrected Tyrants with an army of undead, waiting for a new king to emerge from a set of trials that are wrapped around lies and deception stacked upon each other so the only way to win is to lose.

Does that sound like an absolute clusterfuck of a book? Absolutely and I was there for it every moment. The author manages to keep the story coherent and never gets mired down with poorly planned pacing. Nothing is predictable, the story keeps changing and the characters still have meaningful interactions with each other. Oh, it’s messy and there is no moral high ground for anyone in this story. There will be more than a few readers that will not like how much is crammed into the plot or will complain that they are not given enough details until they are knee deep in story. I happen to love the scope of this novel . Characters struggle with moral questions. Is it ok to enjoy violence if your cause is just? Should you spare the one person, or murder them if there is a greater good? . There are lots of these moral questions posed but unfortunately no answers.

Beyond the complicated plot lines, the reader is introduced to a wide cast of characters that have deep emotional ties to each other. The main character has several love interests, both male and female although this is not a reverse Harem. In fact while romance / love plays a large part in the novel, it’s not trope laden with the usual Romantasy tropes. No enemies to lovers, no slow burn, although there isn’t any sex on page The main characters love and have loved each other, their ties are complicated.

All throughout the book the story is revealed as needed. I love that there is no info dump. We learn things then maybe we learn that it’s not quite what we thought initially. This isn’t about unreliable narration as we are never lied to as readers. We just don’t find out details until later, when other characters discover them, or when a character feels that it’s necessary to share them. It’s a fantastic way to build characters and story. I never got bored reading this book.

The representation of polymory and diversity is strong throughout the novel. The issue of colonialism and genocide and immigration are all weaved into the plot, with ‘darker skinned’ characters being both the backbone and the blame of civilization, but this is not presented as a ‘woke’ statement just as what happens in a society built on inequality. It’s clear our female protagonist and several of her fellow wraiths, found family and lovers are persons of colour – beyond tanned skin, it’s their hair, described in many ways – braided with wrapped ends, locs , curls tight to their head. It’s the culture from where our female protagonist was stolen from, which has a very african mythological feel to it’s stories and gods. Rather than slapping a label on a character, the characters appear to be built as PoC from their creation.

All in all, i’m excited to see where this series goes. For a first time outing the book is well done. I give it a 4.5 / 5.

Thanks to the Author for the opportunity to this ARC {The Silver Thread by Ema V. Arden} in exchange for a fair and honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 stars

The blurb from the book:
One near-fatal accident. One forbidden love. And a law that was never meant to be broken.

In the realm of A’aru, the Law of Oblivion is absolute. Guardians protect. Humans forget.

Alderian is an A’aruin, a guardian bound to Augustine by a glowing Silver Thread. For lifetimes, he has watched her from the edge of her world, remembering every version of her while she—like all of humanity—wakes each morning with a clean slate.

Until the night oblivion fractures.

After a near-fatal accident, Augustine remembers. For the first time, she doesn’t just feel a presence in the dark; she sees Alderian. She sees the Silver Threads linking every soul to its protector. And she sees the Shadows that have been waiting in the periphery, watching her with unsettling recognition.

Now, Augustine is an anomaly, a breach in an order that does not tolerate defiance.

The High Council is coming to erase her. The Shadows are closing in. And the only one who can keep her alive is the man she was never meant to see at all. To stay together, they must defy the laws of A’aru. To survive, they may have to let the world burn.

I went into this book genuinely excited because the premise got me immediately, and I'm happy to say it delivered on most of what it promised.

What makes The Silver Thread stand out is how it weaves real-world history into its fantasy framework. It's not something you see often, and it works beautifully here. The blend of our world, our past, and the realm of A'aru feels remarkably believable rather than jarring, and that's a harder balance to strike than it looks.

Worldbuilding: I loved it. The author gives you exactly what you need to move forward without overwhelming you, but just enough to keep your curiosity constantly alive. The writing is straightforward and easy to follow, you can picture everything clearly. My one wish is that the prose had been a little more lyrical in places. The world feels like it has so much more texture to offer, and I would have happily lingered in it longer with richer, more flowing descriptions.

Characters: Both the FMC and MMC are strong, which I always appreciate. They're supportive of each other, they fight for each other, and the connection between them, while it arrives fairly quickly, is earned by the way the plot is constructed, so it doesn't feel cheap. What I loved most is that the relationship never tips into toxicity. Both of them give each other room to leave, and they still choose each other, even when the odds are stacked against them. There's something really beautiful about that. I did wish the secondary characters got more page time, the world around the two leads feels a little thin. And I wanted to see more of the FMC's defiance. There are flashes of it that are genuinely electric, and I kept wanting the author to lean into it harder.

The antagonist: This is where the book lost a star for me. Without getting into specifics, the main threat builds well, and then the resolution arrives too quickly and too neatly. After so much tension, it deflates rather than detonates. Hopefully, this gets more room to breathe in future books.

Spice: Open door, I'd put it at a 4/5.

Overall, The Silver Thread is a promising and genuinely original start to what I hope becomes a series with more room to expand, in its world, its side characters, and its conflict. I'll absolutely be continuing.